Invisible tie clip

ABSTRACT

A tie clasp of the type that clips a tie to a shirt front while being invisible to the casual viewer. The clip is inexpensively formed from a single piece of material, preferably but not necessarily metal, shaped to include a first leg that is provided with a tongue or prong cooperating with the first leg for releasably gripping the back surface of the front panel of a necktie, and a second leg which cooperates with the first leg in defining springably tensioned jaws that clamp about the back panel of the necktie and an edge of the wearer&#39;&#39;s shirt front. A wide gap between the tongue and the first leg initially facilitates a loose insertion of the prong into the front panel of the necktie. Thereafter, the act of clipping the material of the back panel of the necktie to the shirt presses the back panel against the material of the front panel to lock the front panel in place.

United States Patent 1 Weed [451 Apr. 9, 1974 INVISIBLE TIE CLIP 22 Filed: Oct. 4, 1971 21 App1.1\lo.: 186,196

24/49 C, 52, 255 TV, 255 G, 255 GP, 85 R, 85 B, 84 B, 81 B, 81 TC, 81 MC; 2/145 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,905,992 9/1959 Swick 24/81 B 3,414,944 12/1968 Rabinowitzn," 24/81 B 3,575,371 4/1971 Carlstedt 24/84 B 2,009,91 1 7/1935 Weinschreider... 24/85 R 788,335 4/1905 Shepard 1 24/84 H 1,422,658 7/1922 Brooks 24/85 B 1,533,702 4/1925 Gerla 24/85 B 3,019,445 2/1962 Hirsch et al. 24/49 CP 477,970 6/1892 Taylor 24/84 B 2,568,511 9/1951 Ogden 24/49 CC Primary Examiner-Bobby R. Gay Assistant Examiner-D. F. Marquette Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Sperry and Zoda [5 7] ABSTRACT A tie clasp of the type that clips a tie to a shirt front while being invisible to the casual viewer. The clip is inexpensively formed from a single piece of material, preferably but not necessarily metal, shaped to include a first leg that is provided with a tongue or prong cooperating with the first leg for releasably gripping the back surface of the front panel of a necktie, and a second leg which cooperates with the first leg in defining springably tensioned jaws that clamp about the back panel of the necktie and an edge of the wearers shirt front. A wide gap between the tongue and the first leg initially facilitates a loose insertion of the prong into the front panel of the necktie. Thereafter, the act of clipping the material of the back panel of the necktie to the shirt presses the back panel against the material of the front panel to lock the front panel in place.

7 Claims, 18 Drawing Figures PATENHEBAPR 91914 SHEET 1 0F 2 INVENTOR. 18/04 440 M W520 ATTORNEYS Pmmremm 91914 3.802.032

SHEET 2 [IF 2 3|2 323 324 SHE 8 SF 15 210N420 52 20 E BY w ATTORNEYS INVISIBLE TIE CLIP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention pertains to the clasp art. More particularly, the invention is in the category of clasps or clips specially designed to clip or tack the front and back panels or end portions of a four-in-hand necktie to the wearers shirt front.

2. Description of the Prior Art It is broadly known to provide a tie clasp or clip which, when in use, is not seen by the casual viewer, being disposed wholly behind the front panel of the necktie. In this connection, attention is directed to the following U. S. Pat. Nos. known to applicant:

1,433,345 Dorfman, et al.

1,573,885 Weisbaum 1,600,971 Bracken 1,766,695 Sorkind 2,009,762 Cole 2,040,386 Keiser 3,360,800 Less The present invention does not reside in the broad concept, per se, of an invisible or concealed tie clasp. Rather, the invention resides in the provision of an improved tie clasp falling in this category, so designed as to be capable of manufacture at a relatively low cost despite having an extremely attractive appearance calculated to promote commercial feasibility thereof. In this way, it is proposed to eliminate, by mean of the invention, problems involved in the prior art.

For example, as will be noted by reference to the above listed patents, in some cases tie clasps of the character described have been of excessively complicated construction, involving the use of complicated shapes as regards the various component portions thereof. Further, tie clasps of the prior art have in other instances been characterized by difficulty of assembly, and inability to stand up under day-to-day handling, and the tendency of a user to treat the clasp casually or roughly, rather than as a precision device.

the front panel of the necktie. In accordance with the invention, these parts can desirably be formed from a The prior art has been further characterized by clasps which in some instances have required permanent connection to the neckties, and this is obviously extremely undesirable, since a separate clasp would be needed for each tie, apart from the difficulty of effecting the attachment of the clasp to the necktie.

In the prior art, further, the need for connecting the clasp to the necktie has in other instances involved such expedients as safety pins or the like. Here again, this is undesirable in that the construction is expensive and excessive care must be utilized in attaching the clasp to the necktie.

All of these deficienies have been noted in necktie clasps of the concealed or invisible type as heretofore conceived, and it is proposed accordingly, to eliminate these deficiencies through the provision of a structure to be described in greater detail hereafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Summarized briefly, the invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art through a structure in which it can be appropriately said that there is a first or main leg, a second leg connected to the first leg in such a manner as to permit the shirt front and the back panel of the necktie to be clamped therebetween, and a means on the first leg for engaging the rear surface of single piece of material which can be stamped and formed at a low cost in relation to the advantages of the structure. To this end, there can be integrally formed with the first or main leg a prong or tongue, designed to be swiftly, releasably attached to the back surface of the front panel of the necktie as a first step in the operation of tacking or clipping the necktie to the shirt front.

In accordance with the invention, an important feature thereof is a provision of a clear, wide gap disposed between the prong and the first leg in the sense of the transverse dimension of the tie clip. By reason of this arrangement, in most embodiments of the invention the prong or tongue is simply slipped into the front panel of the necktie, through the seam normally provided at the back of said front panel. At this time, the tie is engaged only loosely. However, the particular shape and location of the prong in respect to the first leg, taken in combination with the particular shape and location of the second leg in relation to the first, thereafter causes the material of the front panel of the necktie to be pressed against the material of the back panel of the necktie responsive to to the act of clipping the back panel to the shirt front, thus locking or securely gripping the front panel of the necktie in its proper position. This characteristic is not found in theprior art, but is achieved in the invention in certain preferred forms thereof, each of which can as indicated above be formed at minimum cost while yet representing an attractive accessory having substantial sales appeal for the ordinary purchaser.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of tie clasp according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view substantially on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a modification;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section on line 44;

FIG. 5 is a view of the modified form shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, as seen from the right of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another modification;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the modified form shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top plane view of another modification;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the modified form shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a view like FIG. 9, showing the clasp in a temporarily deformed shape during insertion thereof;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of another modified costruction;

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the modified form shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the modified forms shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, temporarily deformed;

FIG. 14 is an illustration of the application of the clip shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, as it appears during the initial step of clipping the necktie to the shirt front;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 15-15 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view through the clip, necktie, and shirt front, illustrating a further step in clipping the necktie to the shirt front;

FIG. 17 is a view like FIG. 16, in which the necktie has been clipped to the shirt front in the final position of the necktie and clip; and

FIG. 18 is a sectional view on line 1818 of FIG. 17.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the clip comprising the present invention is formed from a single piece of flat material, preferably metal, although the invention is by no means limited to this particular material. At this point, it may be noted that the clip can, for example, not only in this form but in the various other forms of the invention, be formed from plastic material or, very possibly, from wire or the like. It is mainly important, as will presently appear, that whatever material is used, the clip should possess certain functional and structural characteristics designed to give practical effect to the inventive concepts upon which it is based.

Accordingly, the clip of FIGS. 1 and 2 in the illustrated example is formed from flat, wide stock, and has been generally designated 10. The clip is so formed as to include a flat, wide, approximately rectangular first or main leg 12. This comprises one end portion of the flat length of material from which the clip is formed. The other end portion defines a second leg 14, integrally connected to the first leg through the provision of a curved spring loop or bight portion 16. Although the first leg 12 is flat, the second leg is curved inwardly toward the first leg in a direction away from the bight portion 16, as shown at 17, into closely spaced relation to the first leg as shown at 18, substantially medially between the opposite ends of the first leg. Then, the second leg 14 is reversely curved away from the plane of the first leg as shown at 19.

Formed out of the material of the first leg 12, and thus integral with the first leg, is a prong or tongue 20, which in the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is disposed midway between the opposite longitudinal edges of the first leg. Prong has its distal por tion 22 extended toward the corresponding, distal portion of the first leg 12, and as shown to particular advantage in FIG. 2 the distal portion 22 is curved out of the plane of the first leg, so as to be disposed at the side of said plane opposite from the side at which the second leg 14 is located.

It is of importance to note that wide spaces are provided, as shown at 24, at opposite sides of the tongue 20, extending the full length of the tongue. In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 1, the spaces 24 merge into an end space 23, so that in effect there is a U- shaped opening formed in the first leg 12, bounding the longitudinal edges and the distal extremity of the prong 20. The purpose of providing wide spaces or gaps 24 at opposite sides of the prong 20 will become more clearly apparent during the discussion of the operation of the clip provided hereinafter.

It may be noted that in this form of the invention, the outward bend of the distal extremity 22 of prong 20 defines a tapered entrance way or guide way adapted to receive the material of the back panel of a necktie, said entrance way being disposed at one side of the plane of the first leg 12 (see FIG. 2). Meanwhile, the opposite curvature of the distal extremity of the leg 14 causes that leg to cooperate with the first leg in defining a tapered throat or entrance way 25 which receives the shirt front and the back panel of the necktie in use of the device.

In the second form of the invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the clip again is formed from a flat, wide piece of flat material, which could be metal, plastic, or any other suitable material. Clip 110, thus, has a flat first leg 112 integrally connected to a compoundly curved second leg 1 14 through the provision of a spring loop or bight portion 116. As in the first form of the invention, there is a narrow space 118 between the legs 112, 114, and there is also provided the tapered throat 125 corresponding to the throat or entrance way 25 of the first form of the invention.

In this form of the invention, the prong 120 is formed identically to prong 20, having an outwardly turned end 122 cooperating with the first leg 110 in defining a tapered entrance for the material of the front panel of the necktie. This form of the invention differs from the first, however, in that instead of a U-shaped opening, there is provided a deep longitudinal recess 123 opening upon the distal end of leg 112, and extending inwardly to the base of the prong or tongue 120, to define wide spaces 124 at opposite sides of said tongue corresponding to the spaces 24.

In all other respects, however, this clip is similar to the clip shown in FIG. 1.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, another modified construction is shown, in which the clip 210 is again formed from a single, flat length of spring metal or plastic material.

In this form of the invention, the flat, elongated first leg 212 is connected to a second leg 214 by an integral spring loop 216, defining therebetween a tapered entrance way 218.

In this form, however, prong 220 corresponding to prongs 20, 120, extends along one longitudinal edge of the first leg 212. The prong 220, further, lies wholly in the plane of the first leg. A wide space 224 is disposed between prong or tongue 220 and first leg 212, over the full length of said tongue 220, and as will be noted, this defines a clear gap or open area at both sides of the prong 22, as is characteristic of the forms of the invention previously described.

In FIGS. 8-10, the clip is again formed from a single length of fiat, wide stock. The clip 310 includes a flat first leg 312 integrally joined to a compoundly curved second, shorter leg 314 through the provision of a spring loop 316. In this form of the invention, there are confronting, identical but opposite tongues or prongs 320 extending toward each other from opposite ends of an elongated, wide opening 323. The prongs terminate short of each other at their distal ends, so that the opening 323 is of H-shaped with the prongs being formed with points at their free ends adapted to penetrate the material of the back panel of the necktie in the use of the device. As in the other forms, wide spaces 324 are defined at opposite sides of the gripping prongs 320.

In this form of the invention, however, there is a slight difference in use of the device. Instead of inserting the prong or tongue means in the seam of the back panel of the necktie, one flexes the first leg 312 into a bowed shaped as shown in FIG. 10, exerting pressure at the points shown by the arrows in FIG. 10. This forces the prongs 320 outwardly to a greater extent than is. true when the prongs are in their normal position shown in FIG. 9. By forcing the prongs outwardly, they are spread apart, that is, the space between the pointed, confronting free ends thereof is temporarily increased. With the clip bowed in this manner, the points may be positioned against the back surface of the front panel of the necktie. Then, when the clip is released so as to be allowed to spring back to its normal shape shown in FIG. 9, the tendency of the prongs to flex inwardly toward the plane of the first leg, with resultant narrowing of the space between the extremities of the prongs, causes them to penetrate and grip the material at the back of the front panel of the necktie.

In other respects, however, the clip shown in FIG. 8-10 is similar to that of the other forms already described herein.

In FIGS. 1l-l3, still another modification is illustrated. The clip 410 is in this instance formed from a single length of flat, wide spring material, defining a flat first leg 412 integrally joined to a compoundly curved, shorter second leg 414 through the provision of a spring loop or bight portion 416.

In this form of the invention, there is an elongated tongue or prong 420 extending longitudinally and centrally of the first leg 412, for a substantial part of the length of said first leg. Tongue 420 at its free end terminates in a lip 426.

As in the form of the invention shown in FIG. 8, the user exerts pressure against three points shown by the arrows in FIG. 13. This springably flexes or hows the first leg 412, as a result of which the elongated tongue 420 is flexed out of the plane of the leg 412 to the position shown in FIG. 13. This defines a space between leg 412 and tongue 420, within which space the material of the back panel of the necktie will be effectively gripped, following insertion of the tongue 420 into the seam of the back panel and release of the clip to allow it to return to its normal shape shown in FIG. 12. At this time, the lip 426 cooperates with leg 412 in clamping or gripping the material of the back panel of the necktie.

OPERATION Referring now to FIG. 14, the use of the clip 210 is illustrated. This clip is used in the same manner as the clips shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and like the clips in those figures of the drawing has a clear, wide gap between the tongue and the first leg.

In use of this form of the invention, one first flips over the front panel F of the necktie T so as to expose and dispose forwardly the back surface of the front panel. This exposes the seam SE provided at the back of the front panel of the necktie.

The user then grasps the clip with the shorter leg 214 away from the back surface of the front panel F as shown in FIG. 14. Then, the user inserts tongue 220 in the seam SE, and pulls the clip in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 14, that is, to the left in FIG. 14, so that the prong is inserted into the front panel F through the seam SE located at the back thereof.

At this time, the clip is only loosely attached to the necktie, since the wide space 224 does not cause a gripping of the necktie material. Instead, the wide space facilitates the easy insertion of the prong 220 into the seam SE.

At this time, the clip and necktie will appear as shown in FIG. 15, with the material of the front panel disposed at one side of the seam SE being extended through the wide gap or space 224 defined between first leg 212 and prong 220.

As a next step, the user flips over the front panel F, so that it reverts to its normal position. With the front panel now positioned as in FIG. 16, the front panel with the loosely attached clip or clasp is shifted laterally by one hand of the user, while the back panel B of the necktie is held against an edge of the shirt front SF by the other hand.

The leg 214 and first leg 212 now cooperate in defining a pair of clamping jaws between which the back panel B and shirt front SF will be securely gripped, as shown in FIG. 17. This completes the operation, and the necktie is now effectively held or tacked in place, by a tie clasp which is completely invisible to the casual viewer.

An important feature of the invention resides in a characteristic which is believed best shown in FIG. 18. In FIG. 18, it will be observed that although initially the material of the front panel is loosely positioned through opening 224, the act of clamping the back panel B and shirt front SF between legs 212, 214 causes the front panel R to be locked in place in the final position of the necktie and clasp.

This characteristic obtains by reason of the fact that when the spring tensioned leg 214 and the leg 212 are temporarily spread apart to receive the back panel B and shirt front SF, leg 214 is placed under increased tension. Therefore, in the finally applied position of the clip shown in FIG. 17, leg 214 presses shirt front SF and back panel B of the necktie against the portion of the front panel that underlies tongue 220, said portion being designated at 230 in FIG. 18. This may, as shown in FIG. 18, even cause the tongue 220 to be sprung upwardly out of the plane of the leg 212 to a slight degree, and it is believed that this does happen in the normal functioning of the clasp. In any event, the fact is that the material of the back panel B is pressed against said portion 230 so as to cause the front panel F to be locked in place despite the initial loose attachment of the clip to the front panel resulting from the provision of the wide gap 224.

The same characteristic will be found, of course, in the forms of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, in that in these forms of the invention the tongue is extremely easy to insert in the seam SE, due to the provision of the wide gap at both sides of the tongue. But, despite the easy insertion of the tongue and the initial loose suspension of the clip from the front panel, the act of clamping the back panel and shirt front together between the first and second legs causes the material of the back and front panels to now be pressed against each other, to tightly engage the front panel with the clip, thereby to lock the front panel against the back panel and shirt front.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 8 and 1 l, the operational characteristics are slightly different, in that the gripping of the front panel is achieved in FIG.

8, by. penetration of the pointed prongs into the material of the front panel, while in FIG. 11 the front panel is engaged between the leg 412 and the temporarily offset tongue 420 through the provision of the tooth or lip 426.

It is an important characteristic of all forms of the invention, nevertheless, that the clip can be inexpensively formed from a single piece of material, and can be swiftly and easily applied to a necktie, while being removable with equal speed and ease whenever desired.

It will be understood that other modifications may be provided. For example, the back side of the clip could be provided with an alligator-type, spring-loaded device which would then be opened as the prong or tongue is inserted in a material of the front panel F.

What I claim is:

l. A tie clip adapted for use with a fore-in-hand tie of the type having a seam extending longitudinally on the rear face of the tie, said clip being designed to be concealed by the tie when in use and comprising a unitary strip of material which is generally U-shaped in cross section so as to embody two longitudinally extending legs connected together at one end of the clip,

the first of said legs being provided with two transversely spaced portions extending away from said end of the clip with one of said portions being in the form of a tongue which is shorter than the other portion of the first leg, the side of said tongue being spaced from the longer portion of said leg a sufficient distance to permit the material of said tie to be readily passed between the tongue and said other portion, said tongue being movable into the seam at the rear of the front panel of the tie and into a position wherein the tie material on one side of said seam will overlie said tongue and be located in the space between said tongue and the other leg of the clip while the longer portion of the first leg will be located on the rear surface of the front panel of the tie, the other leg of said clip being formed with a midportion inclined toward the first leg and into position to press the shirt of a wearer and the rear panel of the tie toward the first leg of the clip and aginst the tie material of the front panel which overlies the tongue of the first leg to hold the tie in place with respect to the shirt.

2. A tie clip as in claim 1 in which said legs are connected at one end of the clip and cooperate in defining a tapered throat opening toward the other end of the clip to form an entranceway for said shirt front and back panel.

3. A tie clip as in claim 2 in which said tongue is formed out of the material of said first leg medially be tween the opposite longitudinal edges of the first leg, and has its free end extending out of the plane of the first leg to define in cooperation with the first leg a tapered entranceway disposed at one side of said plane for receiving the material of the front panel of the necktie, said first named entrance-way being disposed at the opposite side of said plane.

4. A tie clip as in claim 1 in which said tongue lies wholly in the plane of the first leg and is extended along one side of the first leg, one longitudinal edge of the tongue comprising a continuation of a longitudinal edge of the first leg, said tongue and first leg defining between them a longitudinal recess opening toward the other end of the clip.

5. A tie clip as in claim 1 said first leg being of a springable material temporarily deformable manually into a bowed shape to resiliently, yieldably spread apart the free ends of the tongues prior to their penetration of the material of the necktie.

6. A tie clip as in claim 1 in which said tongue normally lies wholly in the plane of the first leg and said tongue is formed at its free end with a clamping lip projecting out of the plane of the first leg and engageable with the material of the front panel of the necktie to clamp the same between the first leg and said tongue, said clip being formed wholly from a single piece of springable material, said first leg being adapted to be manually deformed temporarily into a bowed shape to project the tongue out of the plane of the first leg and thereby define a space between the lip and the first leg, within which space said necktie material may be clamped between the tongue and the first leg when the first leg returns to its original shape.

7. A tie clip as defined in claim 1 wherein said tongue is rounded at the free end thereof to prevent the tongue from piercing the tie material when inserted into said seam.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF ICE' CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Dated April 9 197 Patent No. 3 ,802 ,032

Ihventofls) Richard M. Weed It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column"6, Line 23, change "R" to -F-- Signed vand sealed this 8th day of October 1974.

(s/EAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON JR. c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-TOSOHO-SQ) 

1. A tie clip adapted for use with a fore-in-hand tie of the type having a seam extending longitudinally on the rear face of the tie, said clip being designed to be concealed by the tie when in use and comprising a unitary strip of material which is generally U-shaped in cross section so as to embody two longitudinally extending legs connected together at one end of the clip, the first of said legs being provided with two transversely spaced portions extending away from said end of the clip with one of said portions being in the form of a tongue which is shorter than the other portion of the first leg, the side of said tongue being spaced from the longer portion of said leg a sufficient distance to permit the material of said tie to be readily passed between the tongue and said other portion, said tongue being movable into the seam at the rear of the front panel of the tie and into a position wherein the tie material on one side of said seam will overlie said tongue and be located in the space between said tongue and the other leg of the clip while the longer portion of the first leg will be located on the rear surface of the front panel of the tie, the other leg of said clip being formed with a midportion inclined toward the first leg and into position to press the shirt of a wearer and the rear panel of the tie toward the first leg of the clip and against the tie material of the front panel which overlies the tongue of the first leg to hold the tie in place with respect to the shirt.
 2. A tie clip as in claim 1 in which said legs are connected at one end of the clip and cooperate in defining a tapered throat opening toward the other end of the clip to form an entranceway for said shirt front and back panel.
 3. A tie clip as in claim 2 in which said tonGue is formed out of the material of said first leg medially between the opposite longitudinal edges of the first leg, and has its free end extending out of the plane of the first leg to define in cooperation with the first leg a tapered entranceway disposed at one side of said plane for receiving the material of the front panel of the necktie, said first named entrance-way being disposed at the opposite side of said plane.
 4. A tie clip as in claim 1 in which said tongue lies wholly in the plane of the first leg and is extended along one side of the first leg, one longitudinal edge of the tongue comprising a continuation of a longitudinal edge of the first leg, said tongue and first leg defining between them a longitudinal recess opening toward the other end of the clip.
 5. A tie clip as in claim 1 said first leg being of a springable material temporarily deformable manually into a bowed shape to resiliently, yieldably spread apart the free ends of the tongues prior to their penetration of the material of the necktie.
 6. A tie clip as in claim 1 in which said tongue normally lies wholly in the plane of the first leg and said tongue is formed at its free end with a clamping lip projecting out of the plane of the first leg and engageable with the material of the front panel of the necktie to clamp the same between the first leg and said tongue, said clip being formed wholly from a single piece of springable material, said first leg being adapted to be manually deformed temporarily into a bowed shape to project the tongue out of the plane of the first leg and thereby define a space between the lip and the first leg, within which space said necktie material may be clamped between the tongue and the first leg when the first leg returns to its original shape.
 7. A tie clip as defined in claim 1 wherein said tongue is rounded at the free end thereof to prevent the tongue from piercing the tie material when inserted into said seam. 